Pondering Cogen

Carla Axtman

I guess I should start this post by laying my cards on the table: I've long been a fan of Jeff Cogen. His public policy positions are generally in alignment with mine. I don't live in Multnomah County, but at least from the outside, it looks like he's done a good job at the helm.

Which is why the news story about his affair pains me.

I don't care what people do in their private lives. When House Republican Leaders were caught going to a topless bar, I shrugged, as did most of Oregon.

That said, it's disappointing to me to see someone so good at public policy do something so stupid:

Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen tonight admitted an extramarital affair with a female county employee.

Cogen told WW Tuesday night in an interview at county headquarters he deeply regretted the harm he'd done to his wife and two children, and said he was sorry.

"It was a mistake," Cogen says. "People will have to decide whether to forgive me or not. I'm hoping people will forgive me."

An anonymous email sent to all five county commissioners accused Cogen of helping to promote the woman with whom he was having the affair, Sonia Manhas, up the ranks in the Health Department. Cogen denies that charge and so far, the facts seem to be backing up Cogen.

Manhas is technically Cogen's subordinate in that Cogen is the boss of every person who works for the county. But she doesn't directly report to him. Still, it's not awesome judgement on that scale.

A lot of people seem to think that private morality bleeds into public morality. I don't happen to be one of them. But it's stupid of Cogen to put himself into a position like this, where he's painted a target on his back.

Why is adultery something that really gets the press to go all bulldog on us, but they don't do the same thing when a guy blackmails his caucus? The story of Wingard blackmailing Kevin Cameron was practically buried in this Oregonian story. I've seen no follow up stories on this. But Cogen (and to be fair, Wingard's) sexual indiscretions are splashed on the pages of the newspapers of record. Also to be fair, Wingard's was with a person who directly reported to him, and was coerced.

What do you think? Should Cogen resign? Does the affair matter? Does someone's private morality interfere with their public morality?

By Carla Axtman July 17, 2013